LANSING, MI (WKZO AM/FM) — The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) has announced that three possible cases of the 2019 Novel Coronavirus in Michigan have come back negative.
MDHHS officials, along with Macomb and Washtenaw County Health Departments, made the announcement Monday.
Although the tests came back negative, a specimen from a fourth possible case in Washtenaw County was also sent to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for testing Monday.
Officials with the CDC, MDHHS, local public health departments and the state’s healthcare community are currently monitoring the outbreak of the virus, which originated in Wuhan, China.
Focus of the analysis is placed on citizens with symptoms of lower respiratory illness, fever, a travel history that includes Wuhan, or contact with an ill individual who is under investigation for coronavirus infection.
“We are pleased to announce that the results were negative from Michigan’s first three patients under investigation,” MDHHS chief medical executive and chief deputy for health Dr. Joneigh Khaldun said. “We encourage healthcare providers to remain vigilant in screening patients for symptoms and travel history, and to contact their local health departments immediately if they see a potential case.”
According to health officials, Coronaviruses are a large group of viruses common among animals and humans. In rare cases, the virus can be transmitted from animals to humans. This novel coronavirus is a newly discovered version that has not been previously detected in animals or humans. The source remains unknown at this time.
Patients with confirmed infection have reportedly had mild to severe respiratory illness with symptoms of:
- Fever
- Cough
- Shortness of breath
The CDC believes symptoms may appear from anywhere between two and 14 days after exposure.
Anyone who thinks that they have symptoms and has recently traveled to Wuhan, China, or been in contact with someone who has had the virus, should call their healthcare provider or hospital prior to arriving so that the appropriate preventive measures can be put in place.
Officials say that information around this outbreak is changing rapidly. The latest information is available at Michigan.gov/Coronavirus and CDC.gov/Coronavirus.
